As we think about the later year of our lives there seems to be two basic schools of thought on the subject: Those who refer and believe them to be the “Golden Years” and those who stress about their age and supposed decline in health and social life that accompanies it. Here’s a couple of questions for us to consider. First, look back on your life and think about which decade was your best. Is it possible that your senior years can be the best years of your life? Or have you already made up your mind that they will be the worst? Have you made a list of your top five goals as you move into your senior years? For instance they might include financial security, good health, spending time with family or maybe more travel. It’s probably pretty easy to list more than five goals.

Ok, so you’ve written your list, set your goals. Now what? The surprising truth here is that the most successful seniors, in terms of lifestyle and health, are the ones who obsess about it the least. Those who spend time enjoying their retirement and doing what they’ve been looking forward to all these years don’t have time to worry about fulfilling their bucket list. The key is not to obsess about the list. The most fulfilled seniors just live their lives! Simple, right?

The Power of Positive Thinking

There is a lot to be said for and a lot of research to back up the power of positive thinking. Some agree wholeheartedly with the philosophy and others disregard the evidence. When it relates to aging, it all has to do with the attitude that you bring with you into your seniors years. If you’re mentally, emotionally, and physically ready to embrace your future you will have a much more positive experience than someone who enters their 60’s or 70’s kicking and screaming. The latter group is adding so much stress by trying to look and stay young that they actually do themselves a disservice. While this group is fighting mother nature the more positive thinkers are out having fun and enjoying themselves which results in them actually feeling mentally and physically younger. Plus, you have to wonder how much the worry and stress is taking years off their lives.

What are your expectations as a senior?

Are you anticipating more illness, low energy levels, and a general decline during your older years? If that is what you’re expecting, it’s probably what will happen. This is not because the thoughts themselves have any power but instead because you send signals to your mind and body that there will be no effort to stay fit and healthy. Because there is not effort made in those directions, poor health and low energy will result. This can be referred to as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Seniors who think that they will do well, maintain an active lifestyle and enjoy good health will do just as good as they think they will. Their counterparts with a negative attitude seem to be able to think themselves into illness and old age.

Cause and effect play a huge roll in scheme of things, especially as we age. A common example is someone who is active, gets out more, takes on projects, spends time with others and refuses to let old age get to them are the ones who stay happy and healthy longer and have a better quality of life throughout their retirement years.

Do unto others…

Another paradox of the importance of attitude on the quality of life as a senior has to do with thinking of others more than themselves. Older adults who volunteer and are active in helping others appear to be happier and more successful member so the senior community. Simply put, those who worry about others instead of themselves, benefit the most personally. Conversely, seniors who only worry about themselves have the most to worry about.

So if negativity comes more naturally to you and you’re interested in changing that try seeking better companionship. The old saying, misery loves company, holds true here. To improve your mental attitude hang out with people who are happy and active. It’s worth it to change your outlook on life after retirement. If your attitude says you will get the best from life as a senior, you will experience just that. In fact, your senior years may end up being the best years of your life!

Our professional staff also understands the importance of addressing our residents’ entire needs, from their physical health to their social well-being. With this “holistic approach” our staff often hears comments like, “I wish I’d moved here sooner, I love my new lifestyle and feel healthier than I have in years!”

Long Term Care Insurance
The Continental at t. Joseph’s in Iowa meets the requirements by Insurance companies to accept Long Term Care insurance. . Often tenants have Long Term Insurance that pays the majority of the Assisted Living costs and the tenant or family pay the balance. The nurse from the insurance company will evaluate the policy holder and make the determination that the tenant requires nursing services. Tenants who need assistance with bathing, dressing, medications, memory gaps, and medical monitoring usually meet the requirements of insurance companies.

Veterans Affairs “Aide and Attendance”
Veterans or spouses of deceased veterans may qualify for as much as $1400 per month to pay for Assisted Living expenses. The applicant cannot have more than $80,000 in cash assets and must have a doctor’s statement verifying that the tenant needs Assisted Living services. Applications can be obtained from the Veterans Affairs office located in the lower level of The Continental at St. Joseph’s. The Veterans Affairs office is open in the mornings Monday through Thursday. Veterans Affairs phone number is 856-6597.

Shared Two Bedroom Option
Individuals with limited monthly incomes may opt to share a two bedroom apartment in order to meet the financial requirements of living at The Continental at St. Joseph’s. Each bedroom has a bathroom, closet, individual temperature control, and cable hook up. In a two bedroom share options, tenants share the apartment living room. Prospects may qualify for Elderly Waiver funds to help pay for their half of the rent.

Individuals and families are encouraged to talk to Pat McAfee or Tara Koestner about alternative financial arrangements.

Continental Senior Living is a name that you may have seen or heard, but what is it? The Continental Hotel, The Continental at St. Joseph’s and The Continental Care Center at Seymour are what we like to refer to as a continuum of care, collectively known as Continental Senior Living. This is a term used in health care and when we talk about living options for seniors. Simply put, a continuum of care is a grouping of senior care facilities, either on the same campus or not, that can provide living options for seniors at every stage. Continental Senior Living is the only complete continuum of care offered in our area.

In this model for senior living, retirees that don’t want the responsibility of caring for their own home can live independently in their own apartment, comparable to The Continental Hotel apartments for well-elderly. They have some basic things provided: a secure living environment, convenient location, and options for additional services.

When one starts to need some reminders to take medication on time or someone to check their blood pressure periodically, they can transition to an assisted living facility within the same family, such as The Continental at St. Joseph’sAssisted Living. Often, the further you go in a continuum of care, the more services are offered or included. Our assisted living community includes most utilities, daily transportation, weekly housekeeping and laundry as well as some basic nursing services included in basic rent. Plus, there are additional levels of care if more services are needed.

When the tenant needs to have some skilled care as the result of a recent hospitalization or needs nursing home care on a long-term basis, they would then proceed to the associated skilled nursing facility, such as our very ownContinental Care Center at Seymour. There you can receive skilled rehab services to regain strength and ideally return home or participate in different therapies on an ongoing basis for those who are not eligible to return to their previous living arrangement.

The benefits of the continuum of care model include a much smoother transition, deposits that are transferable from one building/community to another, freer communication between staff so that the community that is receiving the new tenant knows their habits, likes, dislikes and general routine. Plus, in most instances, tenants moving between communities are a shoe-in! “We will always strive to keep a tenant within our ‘family’ by anticipating changes in level of care and ensuring that there is a room/apartment ready for them when the tenant and family is ready to make the change,” said Kristen Sheston, assistant administrator for The Continental at St. Joseph’s.

With all of these benefits and options for care, who wouldn’t want to take advantage of a continuum of care program?

Kristen Sheston is the Assistant Administrator of The Continental at St. Joseph’s, the leading assisted living community in southern Iowa, located in Centerville.

Assisted living is a viable option for giving seniors the quality of life they deserve and it empowers them to live life on their terms. There is no standard definition for Assisted Living centers. At The Continental at St. Joseph’s (CSJ), we define Assisted Living, as “independent apartment living with some assistance with daily activities.” Tara Koestner, Administrator, states, “Assisted Living communities are designed to help disabled or senior adults bridge the gap between living at home and long term nursing care.” Assisted Living centers do not provide nursing home-type services. Independence and choice are the key operating principles in Assisted Living communities. Just like living at home, tenants are free to come and go as they please. They have freedom to decorate and personalize their apartments and they choose to participate in activities and outings. Assisted Living centers do offer assistance with household chores, personal care, and professional nurse monitoring. Think of Assisted Living as a place designed for people who are able to care for themselves except for assistance with a few activities of daily living. Tenants maintain personal privacy and independence in a setting that also offers numerous opportunities to build friendships. New tenants often comment, “I should have moved here years ago!”

The primary difference between living in an apartment at The Continental at St. Joseph’s Assisted Living community and living at home is peace of mind. Peace comes knowing that help is available 24 hours a day with a simple push of a button. Caring and knowledgeable staff are always there to provide help when needed. Routinely, CSJ staff cooks meals, cleans apartments, does laundry, shops for tenants, transports tenants to medical appointments, and most importantly makes sure that tenants take their medications on time. Professional nurses are on staff to talk to tenants about any health concerns and communicate with doctors, pharmacists, or therapists to ensure that tenant’s health concerns are addressed. No one can predict what challenges any of us may face in the future. When unpredictable situations arise, tenants do not have to worry. They will not face these challenges alone. Qualified, caring personnel are moments away ready to help.

Comparing the Costs: Living at Home, Assisted Living, or Long Term Care

“When comparing the cost of daily assistance for a health challenged senior adult, Assisted Living centers compare very favorability when it comes to quality, convenience, and affordability.” states Tara Koestner, Administrator, The Continental at St Joseph’s Assisted Living Center. Of course, everyone wants to live in their own home as long as possible. This is understandable and always the ideal situation as long as the aging adult is able to maintain a reasonable quality of life at home. Gradually, over time, subtle signs appear that indicate that aging adult may not be doing as well at home alone as the family would hope. Lora Lyons, Healthcare Coordinator at CSJ recommends that the family look for the following signs of unsafe behavior:

Falling and unable to get up without assistance.

Missed doses of medications and out of date medications.

Gradual loss of weight.

Lack of personal hygiene.

Unable to hear the phone or call for help.

Inability or unwillingness to leave their home.

Gets lost or looses objects frequently.

Living space shrinking to a space around the favorite chair.

Periodic little driving accidents.

All of the above behaviors happen normally with age and individually do not necessarily indicate unsafe behavior.. However, when an ongoing trend starts to appear, it is time for the family to consider making arrangement to assist this adult. There comes a point in time in this process where Assisted Living becomes the most cost effective means of providing quality of life assistance for a loved one.

When comparing the cost of Assisted Living and living at home, families need to take into consideration the following costs:

Rent, or mortgage, property taxes, and insurance.

Utility costs including: gas, electric, water, trash pick-up.

Home maintenance including; furnace maintenance, lawn care, snow removal, and home repairs. Consider the inconvenience of arranging maintenance and waiting for repairs.

Cost of food and/or meal delivery. Consider the quality of nutrition and the lack of enjoyment eating alone.

Cost of outside assistance for housekeeping, laundry services, transportation to medical appointments, or home health.

Cost of technology, such as cable TV, Life Line, and medical monitoring devices.

When considering all of the costs associated with living at home, Assisted Living Centers like The Continental at St. Joseph’s, become more affordable than one might initially think, especially when long term care insurance could pay most if not all of the costs. If you compare the cost of living in an Assisted Living apartment compared to the cost of living in a Long Term Care facility, Assisted Living Centers costs less.

According to Tara Koestner, “Assisted Living Centers are places where senior adults thrive not simply exist.” A daily social interactions, outings, physical exercise, etc. keep seniors mentally sharp and physically strong. Monthly tenants can enjoy social activities, like Bingo or Wii Bowling, and musical entertainment. At The Continental at St. Joseph’s, all of these ammenities are included in the basic rent, in addition to weekly shopping, transportation to and from local appointments, and three well-balanced meals each and every day. Most important to families is the peace of mind that comes with the healthcare monitoring services. of 24 hour security services and daily onsite health aide visits which most seniors just don’t have at home.

The main thing to remember here is quality of life. Our loved ones have worked very hard to get to where they are. Don’t they deserve every opportunity to relax and enjoy this phase of their lives? Why not let someone else do the things that they don’t enjoy so that there is more time for them to do the things they love. Assisted living is a unique environment where seniors can do just that.